Snape's Strange And Slightly Unwanted Friends
by ClayCelloFire
Summary: Snape is headmaster of Hogwarts. And he needs help. Dumbledore's portrait suggests a spell which brings him the help he needs- although in a rather unnexpected form. Characters from other books arrive, utterly bewildered. Slightly alternate universe.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: the characters belong to their respective authors, I do not own them

Author's Note: The story begins in late August of the Deathly Hallows, shortly after Voldemort gives Snape the position of Headmaster.

Prologue:

Severus Snape repeatedly banged his head against the desk which had only recently become his. Before long, he collapsed onto the desk, sobbing great heaving sobs. He punched the wall, attempting to stop the oncoming tears. It was his first moment alone in his new office, although one was never truly alone in the headmaster's office. The talking portraits of previous headmasters were always watching, always ready to give their input on a situation, always ready to criticize. Now was not an exception.

Snape had been trying to ignore them for some time, but abruptly looked up after another snide comment from Phineas Nigellus. Fuming, he stared at the portrait. _Not acting like a Slytherin?_ His rage was boiling now.

"Calm yourself, Severus," the portrait of Albus Dumbledore kindly instructed. "What is the problem?"

"The problem?! Did you give much thought toward the task you assigned me? I have hardly any resources! How do you expect me to accomplish it?"

"Like I said, not acting his Slytherin part," Phineas sneered.

"Silence, Phineas!" Dumbledore admonished, giving the other portrait a stern look.

"My thoughts are obviously not wanted here, so I shall go where they are more cherished," Phineas muttered as he exited the frame.

Moving on from the incident, Dumbledore turned back to Snape. "Severus, Severus. Of course I gave thought towards it! The thought of all of the trouble you would have to go to, all that you would have to endure, has pained me greatly. But I know that you will succeed."

"How? I have nothing. Every moment I have to Occlude my mind, all day I have to lie! My life has become a complicated act. A sick game."

"A game which you will win. Do you regret your choice to join my side? You knew how dangerous it would be."

"No! I do not regret it, Dumbledore. I have just reached the end of my rope. Potter, even with the aid of Granger and that imbecile Weasley, is getting no where! I have no resources, and hardly even know what step to take next."

"Do you know what task has been given to Harry and his friends?" Dumbledore asked. Snape shook his head dejectedly. "Then you do not know if they have made any progress." Snape grunted in annoyance at this comment. Dumbledore ignored him and continued, "I know you want to know the nature of their task. But it is their task, not yours. Now, what is all this you have been saying about resources?"

"I have noting to work with. NOTHING!"

"Nonsense. You are in an opportune situation. You have been given the position of headmaster! You will be able to stop extreme actions within Hogwarts because of your closeness with Riddle, and do so without arousing too many suspicions. When you killed me, you gained more trust from your fellow Death Eaters-"

"Allies, Dumbledore!" Snape interrupted. "I have no allies!"

"A spy rarely has friends, Severus."

"I need more help than I have. Surely you would understand that?"

"I do. But I do not know how I can help you with that. You cannot go to any of the Order…"

"But you must know of someone!"

"Again, I do. A few someones, in fact. But they may not be what you are looking for. And the spell is quite complicated, and involves-"

"Tell me!" Snape interrupted again.

* * *

Edward Cullen landed, not with a splash into a pond, as he expected, but with a light thump into a cramped unknown room. It was some sort of study, he decided. Full of strange instruments and equally strange people, none of which he recognized. There was a Spaniard, covered in blood, with one hand blocking an open wound in his stomach, the other waving a magnificent sword; a young girl, wet, and calling out for someone named "Aslan"; a shirtless youth fingering his back and muttering something about the absence of a scar; a tall old man wearing shining white robes, with long, shining, white hair, and grasping what seemed to be a shining white staff; a very short man (or was he a boy? a midget?) covered in grime, sweat, and blood issuing from the stump of a finger; a hardened and travel-worn girl with wings; and a strong, tanned boy with shaggy black hair (wait! Edward knew him! What was that mongrel doing here?). All of these people were shouting at once, all of them utterly bewildered. Only one man, with greasy black hair and a hooked nose, seemed to know what was going on. He alone remained calm, and turned to talk to a picture on the wall. What was this madness? Edward knew one thing: he was more confused than he ever had been in his entire life.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters belonge to their respective authors: I do not own them

Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long! I don't really have a good excuse... but here it is!

Chapter 1:

"You never know who come to your aid, or how many. The only thing I can guarantee you about the entire procedure is that they will not be what you expect." Dumbledore's warning words came back to Snape as he surveyed the mayhem now in his office. No, they were not what he had expected. He was not entirely sure what he had expected, maybe a battalion of soldiers, or some group of well-trained individuals. Not this mismatched soup of persons, and certainly not the child or the midget.

_At least_, Snape thought, _I had the presence of mind to make sure no one would bother me for the rest of the day._ It was four o'clock. He had until the next morning, and had quite a lot to explain.

"Silence!" he shouted in his most officious voice. But there was so much of an uproar that no one paid him any heed. "Silence!" he cried again, without compliance. "Silencio," he muttered, giving up. Horrified faces turned to look at him as they realized that no sound came out when they spoke. _Much better_. "I have just cast a silencing charm over the room, since I have a lot to explain. I will lift it once I have finished, and you may ask questions and introduce yourself then.

"Firstly, my name is Severus Snape, and I am the headmaster of this school." Noting their nonplussed looks, he elaborated, "Yes, this is a school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yes, I did just say witchcraft and wizardry, and, no, this is not a joke. I do not know what kind of magic (if any) there was in the world you came from, so I will explain. We use wands," he held his up, "to channel the energy. Other magical beings here do not need them, but we do. We cast spells by saying the incantation and moving the wand in a certain fashion, like so: Accio quill!" He flicked his wand and the quill zoomed into his waiting hand. Snape surveyed the room; some of his "guests" (what else could he call them?) looked terrified, while others looked intrigued.

" I will explain this more later. Now, moving on to the question you really want answered: where are you, and why are you here? You are in a large, rambling castle situated in the countryside of Scotland, in Great Britain. For those of you who don't know, Great Britain is comprised of a fairly large island and some territories, and located mostly on the continent of Europe on the planet of Earth. It is August (the eighth month) of the year 1997. You are here because I need your help, and because I summoned you. I did a complicated spell and you arrived. You are all people from alternate universes, none of which I have visited, and responded to my call because you were involved in or near strong magic, or in a state of extreme vulnerability, at the time it was sent out.

"I assume you are all now wondering what the task at hand is. Since it would be very difficult to explain, I will show you my memories instead. In order for this to work, I will extract them," Snape put his wand to his head and seemed to pull a thin silver strand forth, leading it into a stone bowl. "This is called a Pensieve. It is a magical artifact which holds memories. It now holds the memories which you need to see. So you will be able to better understand them, I will give you a bit of background.

"In 1926, a boy by the name of Tom Riddle was born. He has since become the most terrifying and powerful dark wizard of all time. He grew up in an orphanage, his father having abandoned his pregnant mother, who died shortly after giving birth. Even as a child he used his untamed magic to the detriment of others, with glee. In 1938, he began studying at Hogwarts, this very school. Riddle made top marks and was well loved by all his teachers; only his transfiguration teacher, Albus Dumbledore, saw in him what he was. Riddle opened the mythical Chamber of Secrets in 1942, releasing the basilisk, and resulting in the death of a student. But no one suspected charming Tom Riddle, and the blame fell on another student who was expelled.

"In the summer of the same year, at age 15, Riddle crossed a line, killing his muggle grandparents, and blaming it on his uncle. He existed the main scene to reappear in 1956, with followers, under the name of Lord Voldemort, to ask for a job as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Dumbledore, by then headmaster, denied him the position. He began his terrorizing and serious recruiting at that point. What is cause, you might wonder. Voldemort believes in pureblood supremacy." It was apparent that his audience had no idea what he was talking about. "I am forgetting that you do not know about blood status, let me explain.

"The idea of blood purity is nearly the same as racism in other cultures. Wizards of only wizard descent are considered purebloods, and, by extremists, considered more intelligent and higher class. Half-bloods have a pureblood parent and either a muggle or muggle-born parent. They are considered, by extremists, of second class, but still intelligent. Muggle-borns, wizards born to muggle parents, are considered by extremists to be utterly inferior. Voldemort and his followers believe that wizards should no longer live in secrecy. We should rule the lesser muggles, and muggle-borns should not be allowed to perform magic. Their wands should be taken, and they should be treated as the inferior creatures they are.

"The war against Voldemort started in 1970, the year before I began my magical education here at Hogwarts. But, I have said enough. If you would be so kind, please join hands and we will enter the Pensieve. We will be viewing the memories, so you will be able to wander around in them unnoticed. There is no way that you can get lost or hurt," he added, noticing their worried glances.

With prompting, the motley crew joined hands, and Snape brusquely took the hand of the tall old man in white robes. He poked the Pensieve, and, its odd contents swirling, dove in, pulling the others behind him.

--

Eragon had thought that the goings on during Agaetí Blödhren were amazing, strange, and mystical, but now he realized that they had been nothing, compared to what was going on now. So great had his shock been when his back was healed and his scar gone that he did not even realize his change in location for at least a minute. When he had, his immediate reaction had been to think that he was hallucinating. _Although,_ he mused, _I still wonder if I am._

The jam-packed room full of very odd beings (he was unclear as to whether they were human or not) was certainly nothing like he had ever seen before, and the magic that the greasy-haired man had used was not like the magic Eragon was used to in Alagaësia. He had tried to lift one of the books on one of the many shelves saying "Reisa!" under his breath, but could not feel the magic, and therefore could not release it or move the volume. _I have not even heard of this land! Yer-Rope? What madness have I become a part of?_ Eragon was surprised at how vulnerable he felt without magic. _How did I ever manage before?_ He put his hand to his side and was reassured to find that Za'roc was still with him.

Eragon had enough on his plate, a war to be fought in his own land, and did not want to be mixed up in the crazy affairs of this new world. All of this about blood purity and a Dark Lord was too confusing, too different. And now that insane man had dragged them into another false reality; his memory. _This is far too outlandish to be happening. I _must _be dreaming. _

As he looked around, Eragon realized that he was standing in a sort confined room. It lurched, to his surprise, and when he looked out the window, it became apparent that the room was moving at a fast pace. Not just a room, but a series of rooms with a corridor down the middle, much like an inn. There were young people everywhere, Eragon noted as he left that compartment and wandered around. None of them took notice of him. They were all chattering and gossiping, waving their wands around, and eating candies. A door in front of him opened and slammed; a small, furious redhead jumped out, followed by a seemingly familiar hook-nosed boy with greasy black hair. "See ya, Snivellus!" a voice called as it shut. The pair made their way down the corridor, past Eragon, and into another compartment.

Wanting to see what the fuss was all about, Eragon opened the door of the room they had come out of. But, even as he did, the scene dissolved. As it became clear again, he was in a vast and ornate dining hall. There were four long tables surrounded by youths, who must have been students. Each table had a banner above it. Older individuals were seated at a higher table on a platform.

A frightened child wearing a ridiculously huge and old, pointed black hat sat on a stool at the edge of the platform. Suddenly, the hat opened its mouth (_Mouth? Do hats have mouths?!)_ and shouted "_Ravenclaw!_" The table with the blue banner depicting an eagle erupted in applause, and the small boy nervously took a seat there. A woman's voice called out, off a very long list, "Snape, Severus!" The greasy-haired boy from the moving rooms shuffled up to the platform and put the hat on his head. Eragon then recognized him as the greasy-haired man who had summoned them. It was all beginning to make a bit more sense.

"_Slytherin!_" the hat exclaimed. Snape removed the hat and moved off to the other side of the hall, gazing toward the table with the red banner, toward the girl from before. He sat down at the cheering table with the green banner showing a snake, next to an older boy with white-blond hair who patted him on the back.

The memories continued in rapid succession. The meaning became clearer to Eragon as he understood how to maneuver in them; as soon as the scene changed, he looked around for the other beings visiting the memory and joined them. The adult Snape would point to what they were to be focusing on. The memories showed the young Snape growing up under the care of individuals with names like Malfoy, Avery, and Mulciber. They did not seem especially pleasant, and over time Snape was becoming more and more like them. As became more involved in what they did, "The Dark Arts," he drifted farther and farther from the girl Eragon had originally seen him with, whose name turned out to be Lily.

It all came to a head when Snape accidentally called her "mudblood," a word that must have been very offensive. She told him they weren't friends any more, that she knew he was a "Death Eater" and knew he couldn't wait to join "You-Know-Who." Eragon could only assume that the young Snape was becoming a follower of, what was it… _Moldyvort?_ And sure enough, the next memories showed him before the Dark Lord, getting a "Dark Mark" and doing his bidding. They showed Snape eavesdropping on a woman and a tall old man with sparkling blue eyes. The woman was acting very strangely, and then speaking in a very strange voice.

Snape went back to his lord and relayed every word he heard- and then realized what the Dark Lord thought it meant. He begged the Dark Lord to spare Lily, but to no avail. So he went to the man with the sparkling blue eyes, and begged him to save her. He said he would give anything in return. The next memory was of Snape in the office Eragon had arrived in. Snape was in agony: Lily had died. But, as the wizard who turned out to be called Dumbledore (_What strange names they have in these places!)_ said, her son had lived, defeating the Dark Lord when the "spell" rebounded. Snape agreed to become a spy for Dumbledore.

The memories were briefer now. They were of a young boy with untamable brown hair and a lightning-shaped scar, and his misadventures at Hogwarts. It was obvious that Snape did not really like the boy much at all. Eventually, the Dark Lord returned, and the boy set out with two friends to stop him. There was a shocking memory in which Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him when the time was right, and an even more shocking memory when Snape did. After that point, Snape lost all trust among Dumbledore's friends. They hated him, and he pretended to hate them. He was the Dark Lord's right-hand man, and was working against him. The last memory was of Snape being appointed headmaster of the school, and going up into his office to sob and talk to the portraits (_Talking portraits? I have lost my mind!_), one which was Dumbledore.

In much swirling and confusion, Eragon and the rest rose out of the Pensive and landed in the office. He realized that he could talk, but was to shocked to say anything. Everyone else was in a similar state: they got up off the floor and gawked at Severus Snape.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: the characters/ concepts belong to their respective authors.

Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update! School makes my life insane, but that isn't a very good excuse. Anyway, reviews would be greatly appreciated.

Chapter 2

Severus Snape looked around his office once again. A few hours had passed while he and his guests were in the Pensieve, and the sun had now set. He felt oddly nervous, yet slightly relieved. He had just exposed the truth about his life to a group of strangers, never having told anyone but Dumbledore about it, and they had all lived to tell the tale. They, in fact, were getting up off the floor in perfectly good condition. _And they're still quiet, even though I lifted the silencing charm! _The situation was as ideal as it could get. But then again, as a shriek from the little girl told him, something was wrong. _Blast!_ Pandemonium returned as they all realized that one blood-covered figure had not gotten up.

"He's hurt! Help!" the girl squealed. She was rummaging around in her pockets, looking for something.

"Is he breathing?!"

"That's a lot of blood!"

"I've seen worse."

"What happened?"

"Stay calm!"

Everyone had gathered around the form, except the dazzling young man with auburn hair. He backed up swiftly, looking very uncomfortable.

"Sir?" Snape felt a tug on his arm. It was the same little girl who had noticed the man thirty seconds before. She was as small as a first-year. "Excuse me sir, but I left my fire-flower cordial in Narnia." Snape stared at her. She quickly understood that he had no idea what she was talking about. "It's made from juice from the fire-flowers that grow on the sun… for healing him?" she asked hopefully.

"I have never heard of such a juice, but I most certainly can heal him with magic," he replied with a slightly pompous air. "If you all would move aside, I will tend to him," Snape knelt down. "He appears to have been in a duel, and to have been stabbed repeatedly," he observed. There was a gouge-mark in his stomach, and a wound on each arm, each bleeding profusely. He drew out his wand and muttered the necessary incantations, and the form began to stir. The man was rather dirty, had a mustache, stubble, and a mop of black hair, with two scars, one on each cheek. Quite a puzzling fellow, especially with the intricate and bloody sword.

"Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya," the man slurred with a Spanish accent, his eyes snapping open. "You killed my father. Prepare to die." He attempted to wave his sword menacingly, but only managed a feeble twitch. His eyes darted back and forth between Snape, the little girl, and all the others gathered around him, obviously bewildered. "You… aren't the six-fingered man. I… I killed him!" he exclaimed joyfully. It all seemed to be coming back.

"No," Snape agreed, "I did not kill your father and certainly do not have six fingers. I am Severus Snape." _And, _Snape added mentally,_ if you missed all of what I explained and showed you, I will be sorely tempted to curse you to oblivion._

"But wait… ah yes. I thought all this was a dream. Apparently I was not right."

"How are you feeling, Mr. Inigo?" the little girl asked, concerned.

"Feeling?! This is the best day of my life!"

"Ah, yes," Snape cut in, "We shall get to that in a moment. Let us all introduce ourselves." He helped the Spaniard up, "Now… how many of us are there?" he asked rhetorically.

"Nine, sir," the little girl piped up. _Just like a first-year._

Snape conjured nine chairs in a circle, and everyone seated themselves. The man who had separated himself from the group when Snape went to heal Inigo rejoined, and Snape began, "Say your name, the land you came from, what magic, if any, was present, what you were doing before arriving, and anything else you might want to add. Keep it under five minutes, since it's seven-thirty and we have a lot to discuss. You may start," he told the man with shining white hair who was seated to his right.

"My name is Gandalf the White, otherwise known as Mithrandir, The White Rider, Stormcrow, and many aliases now forgotten. I am most recently from Middle Earth, a land where I am known as a Wizard. The major races are Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and Men, and I was among the last of my kind. I had just left Middle-Earth on my way to rest in the Gray Havens. The War of the Ring has just been fought and won by the remaining free peoples of Middle-Earth against Sauron. I shall let Frodo elaborate," he said, looking toward the midget on his right.

"I am Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit, or halfling, of the Shire in Middle-Earth. I was, up until a short while before I arrived, the Ring Bearer. But, I have just cast the thing away into Mount Doom after undertaking the quest to destroy it. I was lying out of the way of the flowing flames on a boulder, watching the end of the world with my dear Sam, waiting to die, thoroughly contented and at peace for the first time in many a month," Frodo sighed, never having been one to speak in front of a crowd.

"If Mr. Baggins is done…?" the dazzling man asked. Frodo gestured for him to continue. "My name is Edward Cullen. I am from this planet, although possibly an alternate universe. I was hunting a jaguar in South America-"

"You do realize that they are on the Near Threatened List, don't you? That's poaching!" the tough girl with wings accused.

"It was to eat, not to sell-"

"_Eat?_ You were going to eat it? What kind of sicko are you?"

"If you would let me continue… I am a vampire," the girl blanched visibly, "but I have chosen what my family and I call a 'vegetarian' lifestyle. Instead of preying on humans, we drink the blood of animals. This way, we are able to fit in with humans and lead a 'normal' life. I don't know if there is really any 'magic' in our world, but there are quite a few species secret from humans. There are many other vampires, shape-shifters, and werewolves. Some vampires have special abilities; I am able to listen in on people's thoughts, which is why I know that you want to go," he said to the little girl. "Your turn."

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. I'm Lucy Pevensie, also from this world… or this world, I think. My siblings and I sometimes go to a magical land called Narnia, with talking animals and dwarves and fawns and centaurs and driads and water nymphs and all sorts of wonderful things. Aslan the Lion is ruler of the land, and he is Jesus in our world. I was just coming back from there, when I ended up here. Oh, I do hope Eustace got back alright… anyway, I'm done. You can go," she shyly told the Spaniard.

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. I am a swordsman from Spain, and ever since my father was killed by the six-fingered man I have been questing to avenge him. I have just finished with him, and now I am here. I do no know how I got here. I think I am from a long time before now," he looked toward the girl with wings expectantly.

"I'm Maximum Ride, from this world, another dimension, blah, blah, blah. From the great US of A. As you can tell, I'm an Avian American, or a human-bird hybrid. There's no magic where I'm from. It's all science. My flock and I were created by sicko, messed up scientists who kept us in cages. We've been on the run for a long time and I'm _pissed_ that I don't know where they are and you _better_ get me back to them," she snarled at Snape.

"Time is frozen for them, so nothing can happen while you are absent. Besides, I am unable to get you back on your own, and it would be a supreme waste of time and effort I returned you all now," he told her calmly.

"If anything happens to them-" she threatened. Max looked to her right, "Put a shirt on, seriously," she told the boy.

He ignored her. "I am Eragon Shadeslayer from the land of Alagaësia. I grew up an orphaned farm boy living with my uncle, and was extraordinarily ordinary until I chanced on a dragon egg and became the first dragon rider, besides our immortal and truly evil dictator, in more than a century. Saphira, my dragon, did not come to this world with me, and I do not know what to do without her, since she and I almost share minds. The magic in Alagaësia is only available to a certain few who happen to have it, and is used by saying words from the Ancient Language. It takes as much energy to do magic as it does to do the task by normal means. Before I arrived, I was at a ceremony with lots of magic involved. In fact, I had just been healed by extraordinary magic. In a battle against a Shade, which I won, my back was crippled beyond repair. This was the spontaneous magic of the dragons which healed me, and somewhere in that time I ended up here. You may tell your story," Eragon told the last person, a strong, dark-haired boy who was also shirtless.

"Not that I actually have much to tell, since old leechy over there basically covered it for me." He glared at Edward. "I'm Jacob Black, a werewolf, from the same world as my buddy the bloodsucker. I'm actually kinda an in-transit werewolf, since I was getting changed as I arrived. But we're not changed like leeches- it's genetic, not a bite. We're actually human, actually alive, unlike them." He glared at Edward again. "We can eat people food. None of that blood. The only difference between us and humans is that we can change into wolves if we want. That's it."

Everyone looked around the room, marveling at the gathering of strange beings who had been brought together for a great purpose. A great purpose…. wait, what purpose? What was the mission?

Lucy voiced the common concern, "Pardon me Mr. Snape, sir, but why are we here? You said it was to help you, but with what?"

No one spoke. Now that the time had come, Snape didn't know what to say.

"You are here because he needs allies, or so he told me."

Everyone spun around in surprise. Who had spoken?

"Severus' job is to keep pretending to be on Tom's side, in order to stop absolute catastrophe from occurring before Harry has had a chance to do his task," now the group had pinpointed the voice: the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. _So,_ they thought as a whole, _this portrait guy _is_ real._ "He has to put up and act and stay in Tom's good graces so that he is able to prevent mass murder of students. He also helps Harry and his friends, and the Order of the Phoenix. All of these things he must do secretly, and not even those whom he helps must know it was him."

"I may have missed something, but where do we tie into all this?" asked Jacob Black, growing more and more annoyed. He had enough going on in his world and really didn't need to be bothered by this one.

Snape was on target again. "You tie in because I have gotten fed up with having no one to help me. It is a tall order, playing double agent and helping those who utterly despise you."

"Yes," Frodo piped up, "but in what manner shall we do so? How shall we be able to help you with such a task?"

Snape opened and shut his mouth a few times before Dumbledore intervened again. "Severus needs you to do things that he cannot do without blowing cover. Before he is able to tell you exactly what that will be, he will need to find out more about each of you. Severus," he prompted.

"I was just getting to that. I need to know your strengths and weaknesses, your areas of expertise." He turned to Lucy, "Now, Miss Pevensie, how old are you?"

"Well, sir, I'm not quite sure, since I had just turned eleven when I went to Narnia, but I spent at least two years there, and I don't know if I'm in Narnia age or my age from before."

"Ah," said Snape, rather confused, "Well you seem to be an eleven-year-old to me."

"Really? I feel taller."

"Moving on, what are you good at?"

"Hmm… well, in school I always like language arts better than maths."

"No," Snape could feel his temper rising, and counted to ten in his head, "What have you done that is noteworthy? What are your strongpoints?"

"In Narnia, I'm called Queen Lucy the Valiant. My siblings and I defeated the White Witch the first time we went, and we co-ruled the land. The time we ruled is called the Golden Age," she smiled, "and we were the best rulers Narnia has seen in thousands of years. We changed laws to help the needy and give better rights to non-humans. The next time we went, we helped Prince Caspian overthrow his evil uncle. Last time, we helped Caspian re-claim the Lone Islands and find his father's men."

"Impressive," Snape told her, not quite knowing whether to believe her. "How about you… Gondal-ff?"

"Gandalf is fine. Hmm… area of expertise… many would say it is my ability to meddle where I am not wanted. Being almost omniscient, I often give individuals the little shove they need to get going. I always where I need to be, doing what I need to do, which is the right thing, although some take time to realize it."

"Any specific details you could provide?" Snape inquired, slightly annoyed by the man's vagueness.

"I am now the head of my order, having taken the place of the traitor Saruman. I have always taken part in the great events of the ages, although up until the War of the Ring I was out of sight. I frequently was the spy or information-gatherer, always searching for answers. I discovered the lasting existence of the One Ring and set out leading the Fellowship of the Ring to destroy it. In the Mines of Moria, I battled the Balrog and won, but died in the process. I was sent back, as Gandalf the White, with much more authority and power. I then gathered aid for the upcoming battles, and went to Minas Tirith to help and then direct the forces there. Following the victory, I helped lead a final offensive, marching directly on the Black Gates to cause a diversion for Frodo."

Snape found himself rather agog. What a valuable asset this man was going to be! "Superb. And you, Mr. Baggins? How old are you?"

"Fifty."

"Fifty? I must say I am quite shocked." Snape would have guessed Frodo was in his twenties, although it was hard to say with the layer of grime, malnourishment, and exhaustion covering him.

Frodo looked down. "The power of the Ring keeps one in youthful appearance. Besides, Hobbits generally live to be one hundred years old and are not considered adults until they are thirty-three."

"What are your accomplishments and/or skills?"  
"I was the Ring bearer, carrying the most accursed object across the land to destroy it in the flames of Mount Doom."

It was obvious that Frodo didn't want to say anything more, which Snape decided to let slide. He turned to his left, "Jacob Black, what do you have to say?"

"I love cars, and spend a lot of my time repairing them and taking them apart. I tend to take care of other people's messes," he gave Edward a venomous look, "repairing broken people. That just about covers me."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Good. And you, Eragon?"

"I am also sixteen and, as I said before, am a Dragon Rider. After my uncle was murdered by vicious fiends called Ra'zac, I went on a quest of vengeance to kill them. I have not succeeded yet, but in the process, I rescued an elven princess from prison, travelled across the land, across a desert, through the mountains, to the Varden, the last resistance against the evil monarch Galbatorix. I defeated the shade Durza in the battle at Farthen Dur, and, up until arrival, was training with the elves in Ellesméra. I am a skilled swordsman, am fairly good at archery, and was good at the magic in Alagaësia. If only Saphira had come, too…" he lamented.

"Indeed, that would have been excellent. What about you, Edward? How old are you?"

"I stopped aging at seventeen, so that is my appearance, but in fact I am more than a hundred years old. Being a vampire, I am very strong, swift, and do not sleep. I previously mentioned that I am able to listen in on thoughts, but I am not able to hear anything besides what the person is thinking at that moment. I cannot look through their memories, or anything like that. I can speak numerous languages, and, having gone to high school and college many times, have quite a wealth of knowledge. Music is one of my passions."

"Intriguing. Miss Ride, how old are you?"

"NEVER call me 'Miss Ride' again," she growled, "Max is my name."

"Pardon," Snape sneered. "How old are you, _Max_?"

"Fourteen, _sir_."

"Well? What are you good at?"

"Pissing adults off."

"I noticed. Anything else?"

"Flying, leading a group, surviving, self-defense. If that leaves any questions, I'd be glad to demonstrate how good I am by beating you to a pulp."

"That won't be necessary," said Snape, battling his temper. "What about you, Mr. Montoya?"

"I have dedicated my life to swordplay, and, not to brag, am excellent," Inigo stated in his thick accent.

"Well, that's everyone," said Severus Snape. _Now,_ he thought, _what to do with them…_


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: the characters/ concepts belong to their respective authors: I do not them

Author's Note at bottom

Chapter Three

Lucy Pevensie felt her eyelids droop and had to shake herself to stay awake. It had been quite a long day before she had been transported to this world (saying goodbye to Narnia forever had been emotionally exhausting) and then she had landed in a cramped room surrounded by shouting people: tossed into another adventure before she had time to think about the first. It was the most shocking experience Lucy had ever had, even more surprising than discovering that the wardrobe was not a wardrobe at all, but contained a magical land. And then, before she knew which way was which, she had been sucked into Mr. Snape's memory. Oh, the horrors! Death Eaters, curses, blood- she was sure this would be a terribly frightening adventure. It was all so scary and complicated, and Voldemort seemed so much worse than the White Witch or any of the other evil beings she had encountered. _But, I am here, and I will fight evil and help Mr. Snape!_ she thought, deciding it was much easier to think brave thoughts than actually do them.

"I am sure that all of you are ready for sleep," the voice of Severus Snape brought Lucy back to the present, "since it is well past ten o'clock. I will not keep you much longer. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore is the door into your quarters and you may negotiate amongst yourselves for temporary sleeping arrangements.

"In order for me to determine how you will best be of service to me, I will need to test you for magical ability. I access to a supply of wands which you may try out; however, the wand chooses the wizard, and with the limited number, there may not be a perfect match, in which case you would have to use a less-satisfactory wand. I will also need to look through your memories-"

_That's scary_, Lucy worried, _wizards can read minds! _She raised her hand to voice her opinions, cutting Snape off. "Yes, Miss Pevensie?" he said with a glare.

"Sir," she squeaked, "do you mean that you can read minds? That wizards can read minds? What if Voldemort read my mind?! Whatifhefindsout-"

"Hysteria will get us no where, so please refrain from squealing," he sneered. "It is not mind reading; the mind is not a book to be opened at will and examined at leisure, it is a complex, many-layered thing, which only masters of Legilimency are able to delve into and interpret."

This information did not make Lucy any more at ease; if anything, it frightened her further. But she tried to put on a brave face. _Mr. Snape is right, being scared won't help._ "And you are going to… to… Leliligment us?" she said, trying not to squeak.

"Yes, I am going to perform Legilimency on all of you."

"Well, you're not getting inside MY head!" Max said defiantly. Lucy admired her boldness, but wasn't equally upset. The idea of Mr. Snape looking through her memories was not especially appealing, but he had shown them all his memories, so it was only fair.

"I am sorry to disappoint, but until I have taught you Occlumency, you will have no way to keep me out."

"You summon us here without giving us any choice in the matter, and tell us we have to help you. Now you are invading our privacy?!" Max fumed.

Dumbledore's calming voice broke over her rant, "Maximum, Severus must look through your memories in order to determine what he will do with you. It will save much time, and he will not be rough, will you, Severus?"

"No, and it will not take long, especially since I do not particularly wish to see what is inside your head, _Miss Ride_." Max glared at his use of her name, but refrained from comment. "This once, and then, if you have talent, never again, since I shall soon teach you all the art of Occlumency. But let us begin. We shall proceed in order of age. Miss Pevensie?" he beckoned.

Lucy was rather glad to go first and get it over with. She got up out of her chair and joined Snape across the room. "Look me in the eye," he told her. Warm hazel eyes met cold black. _"Legilimens!"_

The office blurred, and Lucy was overwhelmed by a barraging series of images. She was learning to tie her shoes, her ever-patient father gently instructing. She was sobbing as she waved goodbye to him: he had been drafted. She and her brothers and sister were boarding the train, and she was crying again, this time saying goodbye to her Mum. They arrived at Professor Kirke's house and were playing hide and seek. She entered the wardrobe, and came out in the woods. Mr. Tumnus! Snippets of her adventures in Narnia continued… and continued… and finally the office came back into view.

Although a bit disoriented and dizzy, Lucy was happily surprised by the ease of the endeavor. "May I go to bed now, Mr. Snape, sir?" she enquired.

"First I must ascertain whether you are magical or not. It is a fairly complex spell, and will cause you to glow if you indeed are a witch." He pulled out his wand and waved it in a complicated, precise fashion as he cried, _"Veneficus Deprehensio!"_

Lucy felt a warm, tingly sensation begin in her toes and continue up her body. There was a collective gasp, and the room began to light up. Her skin was as bright as a lamp! _I can do magic! What would Peter, Susan, and Edmund say? Wait… this means I am a witch. What would Aslan think? Am I evil?_ After a moment of fright, she answered her own question._ This is not Narnia…no, it is not, and in this world being a witch does not necessarily mean you are bad. _

"You will have the opportunity to find a wand tomorrow. You may retire now," Snape told her.

"Sir? How do I get in?"

"Say the password, and then state your name and business, and if Dumbledore sees fit to let you in, he will. The password is Libri Spiritus"

"Mr. Dumbledore… erm…" she felt rather uncomfortable speaking to a portrait, but Dumbledore smiled encouragingly and she continued, "Libri Spiritus. My name is Lucy Pevensie, and I would like to go to sleep."

With twinkling eyes, Dumbledore moved to the side of the portrait, revealing a door, and turned the knob. Suddenly, a door-shaped slice of the wall sprung forward, revealing a cozy, circular room, with plush armchairs and a crackling fireplace. As stepped through the door, it abruptly shut, becoming invisible to those in the office. From within the room, it now appeared to be a sturdy oak door.

Lucy looked around, feeling surprisingly at home as she sank into a waiting chair. It was a fairly small room, with a few windows, a table, and six doors. Lucy reluctantly got up, knowing that if she did not, she would fall asleep before she could say "By the Lion." She tried the first door. It would not open. Puzzled, she tried the next, which pulled forward to reveal an exquisite bathroom, complete with grand bathtub, showers, double sink, and two toilets. Deciding to continue exploring and return to the bathroom later, she turned the next door handle. It was a simple bedroom, with two four-poster beds, a bookcase, table, and chairs. Further inspection showed that the remaining three were bedrooms, identical to the first.

Lucy returned to the bathroom and took what she considered a well-deserved bath. As she was getting out she realized that she had no pajamas to change into. _Ah, well. I have slept in my clothes before._ But as the steam cleared, she noticed a frilly nightgown hanging up next to the towels, with a pair of slippers beneath. Too tired to wonder where they had come from, she dressed, made her way into the first bedroom, and collapsed onto a four poster, falling asleep almost immediately.

***

Meanwhile, Severus Snape was having a most trying time convincing Max to let him view her memories. "If there was any way around it I would not ask this of you," he growled. "Believe me, I do not wish to linger in your mind." He was having a difficult time restraining his anger. _Why do teenagers have to behave in this abominable fashion, without any semblance of respect? This girl could give Potter a run for his money._ Snape contemplated putting her in a full body bind, but reluctantly decided against it. Dumbledore would not approve, and he did need to gain the trust of is guests, not shatter it.

Snape came to the conclusion that the best course of action was to wait for her to comply. And comply she did. After a few minutes of defiant sulking, she put her hands on her hips, stomped her foot, and looked him in the eye. _"Legilimens!"_ he muttered.

He saw cages. Strange, humanoid beings in cages, mewing pitifully. Image after image. Men in white coats, with needles, with sticks, with machines, shouting, prodding, poking. Little children with wings, huddled together. A whitecoat stealthily sneaking them away, away to a cabin. Teaching them, caring for them. Image after image. The bird-kids growing up. Then that whitecoat was gone. They were on their own! Max was taking care of them. Running from wolf-hybrids. Image after image. Chocolate chip cookies, a voice, and confused teenage-bird-hybrid romance.

Snape had had enough and exited her mind. He was greeted by the sight of an enraged Max, who had spread her giant wings menacingly and was snarling at him. "How _dare _you look at my _personal_ memories! My relationships are none of your business!"

"Which is precisely why I exited your mind when they came up. Prying into your love life, or the love life of any teenager, is the last thing, I repeat the _last thing_ I want to do. And you will not talk to me in that tone!"

"How much did you see?! You creep!"

It took all of his willpower not to throttle the insolent brat. "I said that you would not talk to me in that tone. I shall test you for magic and you may leave. _Veneficus Deprehensio!_"

The girl let off no light whatsoever. She gave Snape a dirty look, flipped him off, made her way over to the portrait, snarled a few words, and left the office.

"Mr. Black?" Snape asked with a clipped tone, his fury nearly boiling over. _If they give me _any_ more trouble I will give them a lesson they will remember and send them back,_ he thought, knowing that he really wouldn't. Fortunately, Jacob stepped forward without fuss and met Snape's piercing gaze. _"Legilimens!"_

_***_

Nearly an hour later, Snape found himself back at the desk which had only recently become his. This time he was having an emotional breakdown, he was just utterly exhausted (there had been no further incident after Miss Ride, but his day altogether had been no picnic).

"Quite an interesting group, wouldn't you agree, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, startling the new headmaster who jumped at least three and three quarters inches.

"Do you take pleasure in scaring me half to death?"

"My dear Severus, I had no idea you would react in such a manner. You are usually more attentive," Dumbledore chuckled. "But they are intriguing, are they not?"

"Yes, they are. Especially that Gandalf fellow! What an asset. Cullen and the dragon rider seem to be of nearly equal value."

"They all will be helpful, I am quite positive."

"Not that insolent brat, Ride… I would hex her into oblivion if it would not upset the others."

"Maximum will prove her worth. Look at her leadership skills! Her teambuilding abilities! She has compassion and perseverance."

"She deserves detention for three months. No… six."

"She merely has trust issues, like you, Severus."

"_Do not_ compare that… that good-for-nothing, prideful, rude teenager with me!"

"Severus, my boy, there are more important issues at hand. What shall you do with them?"

"That, Dumbledore, is an excellent question."

"Would you like my suggestions or do you want to figure them out on your own?"

"You know you will give me suggestions whether I want them or not. Did you accompany me when I performed Legilimency?"

"I did, so I have a basic understanding of these individuals. Let us proceed in order. Miss Pevensie's interactions in this world and in her memories showed respect and obedience towards adults, supreme courage, intelligence, and loyalty. She also exhibited empathy and kindness. What did you observe?"

"The same traits, along with a rather adventurous, Gryffindor-ish attitude."

"Really? I would have pegged her as a Hufflepuff."

"That, Dumbledore, will be for the Sorting Hat to decide. Lucy Pevensie will start Hogwarts this September first as a first-year student. She will help the students who are children of Order members… possibly be a part of the so-called 'Dumbledore's Army' if it starts up again. She can encourage and be supportive."

"Excellent judgment, Severus! Now, what about Maximum?" Snape made an indignant noise and was about to interrupt, but Dumbledore kept going, "Before you say anything, try to think about her _positive_ qualities, as I said before, leadership, teambuilding, compassion…"

"Fine, fine, fine. All of those, I suppose, with a strong survival instinct."

"She may do well as a part of an undercover mission outside of Hogwarts," Dumbledore hinted.

"Subtlety is not your strongpoint, Dumbledore. Undercover mission outside of Hogwarts… I like it. That way she will not be a nuisance. Hmm… well, what about muggle-born saving?"

"Muggle-born saving? My dear boy, what on earth do you mean?"

"Muggle-born witches and wizards are being accused of robbing magic and need to go into hiding. Ride can be a part of a mission to hide and protect Muggle-borns and their families."

"Surely she will need assistance?"

"Indeed. Montoya did not show signs of magic, but is an excellent sword fighter. He has been questing to avenge his father for nearly his entire life. He is fairly intelligent, and the sort who needs a mission. What better task for him than to save Muggle-borns?"

"Well reasoned. But they will need more help than that with such a mammoth task, Severus."

"Gandalf! He is an expert at everything, it seems, and showed extreme magical abilities. Given a wand, I do not think he would even need to learn our spells to weave magic. Pity his staff doesn't work here… anyway, that would not need to his only task."

"It does not seem you need my advice at all! I am impressed, Severus. What other tasks do you have in mind for him?"  
"Oh, whatever may come up. He will be fantastically useful."

"What will you do with the others? Jacob, Eragon, Edward, and Frodo?"

"Jacob Black did show some signs of magical ability, but I do not wish for him to be a student. He is not quite brilliant enough nor knowledgeable enough to be able to come to Hogwarts as a sixth year, which is what his age indicates. Since he is not truly human, any sort of de-aging potion or spell to make him young enough to be a first year would not function properly. Also, I do not know how his presence in the school would help. So he must have another task."

"Muggle-born saving, as well?"

"I think not. He should have a job working for an Order member, gaining their trust to be able to help in any way possible. Do you have any idea who it should be, Dumbledore?"

"With his age, humor, and muggle knowledge, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes would be an option."

"Yes, and he can masquerade as… a nearly-squib from America who never went to magic school, and came to London because he wanted to be a part of the resistance against the Dark Lord. Oh, and the reason why he can turn into a wolf is because his entire family has always been animagus… and he was just born that way. Believable?"

"I have found in life that the more far-fetched a story, the more likely it is true. The Weasleys will probably hire him."

"And, for similar reasons to Jacob Black, Frodo should also work for a member of the Order. He showed magic, but is rather emotionally and physically exhausted from his recent quest. I should get him some nutritional potions… But, with his stature and strange appearance, I think it would be best if he did not help with the muggle-born rescue."

"He could work for my brother, Aberforth, in the Hog's Head," Dumbledore suggested.

"Good. He will be able to listen and report back on the comings and goings in the bar, while helping the Order in whatever way he can."

"That just leaves Eragon and Edward."

"The will both be students, as they both vast amount of magic. Edward does not sleep, giving him all the more time to study, and is amazingly intelligent. His knowledge is extremely vast. He will be able to pull off being a seventh-year student, I think. Transfer from… Durmstrang, and since he can speak nearly every language known to man, he will pretend to be Bulgarian. Put on a thick accent. Edward will be sorted into Slytherin, and work to gain trust among those on-the-fence about the Dark Lord. He can sway them toward the light, subtly, of course.

"And Eragon. He is very strong magically, and has lots of magical knowledge from his own land. I do not think it will be problem for him to adjust to this magic and excel. Also, he does not 'sleep' but instead relaxes and rests, which he does not need to do as much as a human. He will be able to use this to study, like Edward. But, unlike Edward, Eragon should be sorted into Gryffindor. He can be supportive to Longbottom, Weasley, and all of that clan, while working toward inter-house unity. He will be a sixth year, transfer from Beauxbatons, since his odd accent sounds rather French."

"You are forgetting a few details, Severus."

"Such as…?" Snape replied with irritation.

"For one, Edward is a vampire."

"He only needs to hunt every few weeks, I believe. He can go sneak into the Forbidden Forest and munch on a deer."

"But, my boy, he will never be able to eat human food. It will be suspicious, every meal, if he is never eating."

"During lunch, he can go to the library, he can 'sleep' through breakfast, and at dinner, cut up his food and use spells to vanish it. That solve that. What other details am I forgetting?"

"Who are they related to? Edward, Eragon, and Lucy will have to be half-bloods or pure-bloods to attend."

"They can be descendants of disowned Blacks, such as Isla, and Phineas the second. I will fabricate them family trees. Have you noticed any other major flaws?"

"No, my boy, your plan is fabulous," Dumbledore beamed, his eyes twinkling.

* * *

Author's Notes: I am so so so so so so so sorry it took me so long to update!!! My computer died, and then I was suffering from writer's block... hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner.  
The magic-detecting spell (_Veneficus Deprehensio_) is completely bogus, obviously. I made it up using a free online English-Latin translator, translating the words "magical/wizard/witch/magic" and "detector"  
Snape's lecture on Legilimency/ Occulmency is directly paraphrased/ quoted from HP and the Order of the Phoenix.

Please review! Reviews really motivate me to write...


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